NEEDLES IN THE HAY STACK; THE SEARCH FOR EARLY-MIDDLE HOLOCENE AGE DEPOSITS AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES ALONG THE OLDMAN RIVER

Few early-middle Holocene age archaeological sites have been identified across the Northern Plains, causing archaeologists to speculate as to the effects postglacial environmental change may have had on the habitability of the area and on differential site preservation. The few sites exhibiting adequate time depth are often found deeply buried by middle to late Holocene alluvium, identifiable only within river terrace cuts. Unfortunately, little is known about the development of Northern Plains river systems following the draining of the glacial lakes or about the impacts that river evolution may have had on both site selection by prehistoric aboriginal groups and site preservation. This paper investigates the evolution of the Oldman River drainage system in Southern Alberta in order to address the possible impacts of alluvial activity on archaeological site preservation in this area. Stratigraphic profiles, buried soils, and the presence of Mazama Ash are used to study post glacial alluvial activity along the Oldman River Drainage system. These preliminary results are compared with previous studies of the Bow and Red Deer River systems. This regional comparison is used to explore the impact of external factors on cycles of erosion and deposition within the Oldman River Drainage.